Expendable Assets
by angel prototype
Summary: She was supposed to be an asset. An item of economic value owned by an individual. You were not supposed to miss your assets...So why did Minako call her back? PGSM Reiko/Minako


**i was watching Burn Notice and heard the quote "You are not supposed to miss your assets" and then bam, this popped into my head. for those of you who have seen the PGSM live series will understand the whole Rei"ko"/Minako thing. sorry if they seem a lil OOC. ive never written as Mina before. im used to the blushing, badass toons like Natsuki and Rei, lol. **

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"I'm sorry, Minako."

She was supposed to be an asset, nothing more, nothing less.

An item of economic value owned by an individual.

An item…an object…with value.

You are not supposed to miss your assets.

You are not supposed to miss the _scent_ of your asset as she walks out of the room…

So why am I standing here grinding my teeth so hard that it hurts as I watch her leave?

I knew this was bound to happen. We weren't meant to be together, really. We both said it from the beginning. The only reason we lasted this long was because of the mission. We were meant to protect, not love. I laugh bitterly at that. How ironic, the soldier of love wasn't allowed to feel it.

And yet…

"Reiko, wait." It comes out as a whisper, nearly inaudible, but I know she hears me, _feels_ me, calling to her. She stops and my breath catches in my throat as I watch her hair cascade around her like a velvet cape. She turns and I wince at the pain, the hurt, I see in those amethyst eyes.

She's waiting. Waiting for me to say something, to tell her not to leave, that I really _do_ love her. And in that moment, looking into endless pools of violet, I feel it. I feel her and the raw emotion bottled deep inside her. We've always had that connection, her and I, able to read the other like an open book. It's then that I realize what I've done.

I was careless.

You are not supposed to care about your assets.

I hear her sigh but it was not one out of anger or frustration. It was from pure exhaustion. She was tired. Tired of me, tired of fighting, tired of the excuses.

I walk to her and gently touch the side of her face with the back of my hand, softly tracing high cheekbones down to pouty, full lips. I graze her lips with the pad of my thumb and crack a smile when she gasps. Looking into those eyes I feel my resolve cracking once more and I quickly turn away, wrapping my arms around in a self hug.

I hear, before I feel, her arms drape around my shoulders. She pulls me to her and I stiffen when she nuzzles into my hair.

"Minako…"

"Rei, don't…"

My hair flutters as she lets out a puff of disappointment next to my ear. My body heats up against my will.

"Tell me why." Her embrace tightens.

I close my eyes in hopes of barring the tears that threaten to fall. I hesitate to answer. I don't _have_ an answer.

She must sense this because she spins me around once more to face her. Her eyes, once filled with pain and sorrow are now drowning with admiration. With love.

"You can't answer me, can you?"

I turn my gaze from her.

"Mina." She breathes out.

That word, that single, two syllable word made my resolve come crashing down around me. It wasn't just the word. It was the way it was said, from the one who said it.

"Oh god…Reiko…"

I latch onto her then, the tears falling freely. Arms encircle me once more and I'm lost in her warmth, her scent, her everything. She presses her lips to my hair and I let out a pained sob, fingers gripping her shirt for stability.

"It's alright, my Mina."

Her Mina…

"_I love you, my Mina."_

I shuddered then and look to her eyes, waiting to see the battle hardened ones of Mars. But they are still the beautiful, vibrant violet that I've come to love. She blushes under my stare and the pout is back in full force. She stutters.

"I…was that too much? I'm…sorry."

I hold back a giggle and shake my head, resting against her chest. I smile, listening to her rapid heart beat. Still as adorable as ever, my little Mars.

"Not at all, my Reiko. Not at all."

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**i so suck at writing as Mina (weak laugh) r/r peoples!**


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